Poor infrastructure hindering growth of heritage hotels: Mathur
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JUNE 21
Bettered infrastructure facilities in country’s rural areas pose hindrance for development of heritage hotels in the country, a senior heritage hotel officer said.
“More then 80 percent of heritage structures are in rural areas of the country, which are ignored and needs attention. But there are various aspects that restrict us from developing these structures into a productive asset,” Rakesh Mathur, president, Welcome Heritage told reporters.
Mathur, in his recent meet with the Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selija pointed out various difficulties that one has to face while taking up heritage development project in rural areas.
“The most important is the cost, which is very high. Be it while converting a heritage building into a hotel or its further maintenance. The structures in rural areas are very broad and strong, which need huge investment for its facelift,” he said.
The lack of skilled workers and the infrastructure facilities in these areas are yet another key hindrance for the development, he added.
“Apart from this, once the business is set we have to suffer losses along with profit. Being a seasonal business there is no stability of income,” Mathur lamented.
He feels that in order to develop these structures, the center government need to provide financial assistance to the owners, which will give a better prospect to the locals.
Indian Heritage Hotels Association (IHHA), President Maharaja Gajsingh of Jodhpur, feels that development of better infrastructure facilities in rural areas will make a difference by attracting larger number of tourists.
“Tourists don’t prefer to go in rural areas, where we have maximum numbers of heritage structures. The economy of rural areas can be changed, if developed in a more productive way employing large section of people,” Maharaja said.
He said that the heritage tourism does not only provide direct employment through hotels but also provide indirect employment to various peoples linked with the industry.
“The conversion of heritage structure into a hotel or any other business provides employment opportunities to the locals, either in form of tourist guide, an entertainer; a craftsman with his stall….It improves the standard of living,” Maharaja stated.
Maharaja, who owns chain of heritage structures in Rajhastan, has 90 percent locals employed in his business.
Maharaja said that the richness of heritage structures cum hotels has attracted large number of domestic tourists compare to foreigners.
“The main purpose of heritage movement was to increase the foreign tourists flow in the country. But the scenario is different now. More and more Indian travellers are checking in heritage hotels. The ratio was 80:20 earlier with foreigners leading the chart but now it is domestic tourists with 40:60 percentages,” he cleared.
